Centrifugal amalgamator



Apr. 17, 1923. 1.452,11@

R. J. BUTLER CENTRIFUGAL AMALGAMATOR I FiledJune 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RASZJSR Apr. 17, 1923.

R. J. BUTLER CENTRIFUGAL AMALGAMATOR 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 Filed'June 25, 1922 'Patented Apr. 17, i923.

lptfiti FATE@ '@FFECE.

ROLLO J. BUTLER, or TONOPAH, NEVADA.

GENTRIFUGL AMALGAMATOR.

Application filed .Tune 23,

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RoLLo J. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tonopah, in the county of Nye and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Amalgamators, of which the following 'is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in centrifugal amalgamators adapted for vgeneral use but especially to the extraction of precious metals from ores and sand, by means of separating the metals fromthe ores or sand and bringing them into contact with amalgamated surfaces and the surface of mercury by the action of centrifugal force.

An important object of the invention is the provision of means for injecting mercury into and removing it from the device so that the mercury may be treated by any ,known means to make it nascent as by the addition of some electro-positive metal, such as by adding metallic sodium, or by treating it in an electrolytic cellwith an electrolyte of sodium chloride, hydrate or carbonate with the mercury as a cathode, or by other means. Due to the relatively short time taken by the materials in passing thru the ao device it is necessary that the mercury have its maximum aiiinityfor the precious metals in order to prevent them from passing thru into the tailings. f

Another important object of this invention is to subject the material to suiiicient centrifugal force to overcome surface tension of the water or mercury; to cause any fine particles carried in suspension in the water to be forced into contact with the amalgamated surfaces or the surface of the mercury; and to bring any fine metal particles such as float gold, floured mercury or mercury that is finely divided; into contact with the amalgamated surfaces or thesurfaces of the mercury.

A still further important object is to pro vide a particular design for the amalgamating surfaces which allows the material to be spread over the same in a thin even layer :59 and allows regulation of the time when the materials are acted upon by the centrifugal torce, and in addition the amalgam of metal,

1922. Serial No. 570,356.

is removed from the device without dismantling the same. i

The invention will be better understood from the following specication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are a part of the same.

Figure 1 is a lengthwise cross section of one'end o the device;

Figure 2 1s an end view of a spider with certain parts broken away for purposes of illustration; and

Figure 1a is a lengthwise cross section of the other end of the device. l

It will be understood from the drawing that for practical purposes the device has been separated along the line a-a and that in the device as a whole .one end (Fig. l) is an integral continuation of the other end (Fig. la).

In the drawing the numeral 1 designates ak revolving shaft provided at its ends with two similar supports 2 that are vertically erected at proper distances apart on a suitable base 3, and provided at their upper ends with boxes t within which the shaft is journalled as at 5 thus positioning said shaft in a horizontal direction. Either end of the shaft may be extended and the eX- tension provided with a pulley to which a belt is attached for revolving or turning the shaft. @bviously any well known turning or revolving means may be utilized for the purpose.

The drawing shows `three separated circular tubes (l. 'i' and S of different succeedv ing diameters, but each one of uniform diameter, mounted on said shaft by means of wheel-like or spider members 9, 10 and 11 having respectively rims 12, 13 and 14; spokes and hubs 15, 16 and 17 respectively. The axis of the tubes coincide with the axis of the shaft and are adapted to rotate with the saine. Each of the tubes are respectively provided with amalgamating surfaces 18, 19 and 20 and are formed of copper or other suitable metal, with the amalgamating surfaces in a direction parallel and concentric `with the axis of the shaft and if desired they may be reinforced 0n their outer sides with steel in order to gain mechanical strength,

The hub 16 is provided with a .Circular baffle member 21 whose rim is positioned in a circular trough 22 provided in the rim 1 3 having a circular ledge 23. The hub 17 is provided with a circular baffle member 24 whose rim is positioned'in a circular trough 25 provided in the rim 14 having a circular ledge 26.

The end of the tube 3 nearest the support 2 in Fig. 1 is mounted and secured on the shaft 1 by a wheel-like member 27 having a hub 28 and rims 29 and 30 and between the' said hub and rims the wheel-like member is provided with spokes between which are openings V31. The rim 29 is provided with a ycircular trough 32.

Attachedto and mounted on said shaft 1 and 'hub 28 is a wheel-like member 33 ha"- inga hub 34 and rim 35. The wheel-like member 33 is so designed vand connected to vtheshaft1 and hub 2S as to leave a circular Aopening 36 between the rims 30 and 35 whichilopening coincides and is in continuation of' the openings 31.

Referring to Fig. 2 the wheel-like member or spider yin addition to the hub 15 has spokes 37 separated by openings 3S. EX- tending around the spider 9 is a circular trough 39. Aroundfthe inner circumference ofy the' trough 39 there is provided a pluralityv of holes or openings 40, 41 and 42* spaced apart from each other and preferably in alternate positions. The openings' 40- extend thru the rim 12 and empty into the tube 6. The openings 41 extend thru the rim 12, empty into pipes 43, pass thru v aligned holes 44 in the rim 13 and empty into the tube 7. The openings 42 extend thru the rim 12'; empty into pipes 45, pass thru holes 46 in the rim 13, extend thru pipes 47,

thence thru passageways 48 in the rim 14 and' finally empty into the tube 8.

i The' tubes 6, 7 and 8 with their supporting wheel-like members are rotatably enclosed in a stationary circular housing 49 supported by "the base 3 or in any suitable well known manner, The rims 30 and 35 are rotatably, enclosed in a circular housing 5,0 suitably supported by the base 3. Housings 49 and 50may be suitably connected to each other at points 51. The lower portions of the said housings are respectively provided withoutletsor openings 52 and 53 for a purpos hereinafter vset forth. A

The trough 22 has ports or openmgsat .s 54 radially distributed around thru the rim 13 and which discharge into the housing y49 as at 55. In like manner the trough 25- has ports or openings 56 which discharge into the: housing 49 as at 57. So also, the trough 32"has ports or openings 53 which discharge into the housing 49 as at 59. These ports are so designed as to be positioned above the bases'of the troughs 22, 25 and 32 in order tomaintain a constant level of mercury in said troughs.

B designates a-pipe thruwhich 'mercury is fed intothe tro-ugh 39. Obviously any well known means may be utilized for so introducing the mercury into the trough.

ln a general way the operation of the device is as follows: y

A is the hopperfthru which the ore or sand, ground to a suitablefineness, and the proper amount of water andmercurymay be injected intothe device, (the quantity of material `being regulated by 1 any known method.) g the material passes thru theopenings 33 onto `the amalgamating surface 13.

Thev materialsare then thrown by' centrifv ugal force against the baille 2 1an'dinto'the trough 22. The stream of material.y in ,passstreaniand turn itv over as itfalls. mercury being of 'higher specific gravity than the ore and' sandwill remain in the ing over the ledge 23 will vcause a partial y vacuum which will tend to break' up the trough until a ysufficient quantity has been in-` jected to cause it to overflow, The materials then pass under the baffle 21, thruithe' spokes of the vwheel-like memberv 10 `onto the'ama'lgamating sur-face 19 of the tube7 where the mercuryand the heavier particlesin the'ore and water will tendto separate and domeinto contact with the surface 19.

The materials'th'en pass over thejsurface 19 and are thrown against `the baffle In passing over the ledge 26 the materials will cause a partial vacuum which will'te'nd tobreakup the stream of materials andturn them over as they fall. `4The mercury being' of higher specific gravity thanthe ore and sand, 'will remain inv the ktrough `25 until a AYsufhcienh quantity has collected when it willoverflow and pass out the openings 57 .L vThe materials then pass'under the baffle' and thru thelspokes ofthe wheel-like member 11 onto thesurface 2O.y After passing over thefsurface', 20 the mercury will gather in the trough 32 while the tailings will be discharged thru-the openings31 and 36 into the vhousing 50 a-nd'thence thru the.` opening 53'by gravity'. L

The purpose of the increaseddiameters of tube 7 is to give the required head or pressure to force the materials under .the baiile and over the contact surfaces.

The radially distributed portsr or opening around thru the rims of rthexwheel-lile the tubes 8 and 7 over each other: andthe ing/ 52V by means ofv gravity. Themercury incoming out of the opening 52 can be introduced Vto a ylaunder-V andf V be conveyed .to

any known means for removing the amalgam of metal or toV an electrolytic cell or other means for charging the mercury With an electropositive metal. The mercury is then pumped or otherwise introduced into the pipe B or both the pipe B and the hopper A. The quantity to each can be regulated as required by any known means.

N ascent mercury is placed into the trough 39 by means of the pipe B. From the trough 39 the mercury is introduced into the tube 6 by means of the openings 40; it is introduced to the tube 7 by means of the openings 4l as heretofore described and it is introduced into the tube 8 by means of the openings 42 as heretofore set forth.

What I claim is: y

l. A centrifugal se arator comprising a shaft, rotatable Wheelike members mounted on said shaft, a plurality of circular tubes connected to said members, the rims of said Wheel-like members positioned in a circular housing and provided with radially distributed -openings for the discharge of mercury into said housing.

2. A centrifugal separator comprising a shaft, rotatable Wheel-like members mounted on said shaft, a plurality of circular tubes connected to said members, the rims of said Wheel-like members positioned in a circular housing and provided with radially distributed openings for the discharge of mercury in said housing and said housing provided with means for the discharge of the mercury While the separator is in operation.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROLLO J. BUTLER. itnesses N. K. GIBSON, CHAs. A. DE FLoN. 

